


Letters from the Pomological

by frecklebomb



Category: Pomological Archive RPF
Genre: Epistolary, Friendship, Fruit, Gen, Multimedia, Trolling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-12 05:46:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18440267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frecklebomb/pseuds/frecklebomb
Summary: From the desk of the Chair of the Pomological Almanac.





	Letters from the Pomological

**Author's Note:**

  * For [idellaphod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/idellaphod/gifts).



> This fic originated from following the [pomological twitter bot](https://twitter.com/pomological) (which I highly recommend doing) and noticing that something is... different... about James Marion Shull's paintings. 
> 
> All images are from the [USDA Pomological Watercolors Wikimedia Commons archive](https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USDA_Pomological_Watercolors), and clicking on any image will take you to the Wikimedia archive page for that painting, and larger versions. I've tried my best to make this work for small screens.
> 
> Letter writing crash course taken via Chapter 1 of [How to Write Letters: A Manual of Correspondence](https://archive.org/details/howtowritelette01westgoog/page/n6) (1876).
> 
> The dates of the paintings I've used are mostly accurate to the story, everything else is fiction.
> 
> Content note: contains paintings of mouldy fruit.

May 15th, 1910  
Mr. James Marion Shull

Dear Sir, — Thank you for the many paintings you have sent to our Almanac in the years since our first correspondence. We are grateful for the hard work of artists such as yourself, which keeps the almanac in such good repute as it enjoys, small as it is. 

I must confess, though, that I have always been puzzled by your enthusiasm for those odd specimens that the Almanac does find difficult to include. It occurs to me that much of what you send us would seem to be more at home in a private journal of study than gracing our pages. Do forgive my rudeness in asking, but I am curious; is the decaying of fruit a particular interest of yours? 

Yours respectfully,

Ms. Amanda Almira Newton,  
Chair, Pomological Almanac.

[](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00004030.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006810.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006520.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00003995.jpg)  
---  
  
& & & & & & & & &

July 17th, 1910  
Mrs. Deborah Griscom Passmore

Dear Friend, — Now that the business of the General Meeting is finished, I think we are set up well for the year. I received the new paintings of Dominie apples from you; they are stunning, as always. 

I must ask you something now, at the risk of sounding rather strange. Are you in correspondence with one Mr. James Marion Shull? He is waging a campaign upon the Almanac submissions with paintings of every part of the plant other than the specimen fruit. I am afraid it has driven me to cast an eye over our archives with suspicion and you have, from time to time, painted curios such as those. I am certain you will have never heard of the man outside of the Almanac pages, and that you have only been wanting to paint a little variety for us, but would you ease my mind about it, old friend?

Ever yours, 

Almira 

[](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006766.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006881.jpg)  
---  
  
& & & & & & & & &

August 22nd, 1913  
Mr. James Marion Shull

My dear Sir, — I do agree with your point that there is merit to including a number of non-specimen illustrations. It surely is within the realm of the Almanac to illustrate common diseases of the leaf, branch and fruit. However, we would ask you to limit only a portion of your submissions to these pursuits. We are not an arboreal magazine, and cannot fill our pages with studies of branches alone. Our mailbox would be filled with letters of complaint, if we did!

I must thank you for the apple and pear paintings you have lately sent. They are great workmanship, and some of the finest we have yet seen from you. 

Yours truly,

Amanda Almira Newton,  
Chair, Pomological Almanac.

[](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00003944.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00004719.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00000773.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00000861.jpg)  
---  
  
& & & & & & & & &

August 28th, 1913  
Ms. Ellen Isham Schutt 

Dear Ellen, — I declare I am at my wits’ end. Mr. Shull has once again inundated us with what we must only suppose are the results of his latest fancy. The work is good; some are even quite lovely (I have kept a few aside for my small personal collection), but he will persist in submitting paintings which are wholly un-usable!

Please, tell me your news, so I may have a pleasant distraction. Tell me all about California.

Your friend, 

Almira 

& & & & & & & & &

September 30th, 1916  
Mr. James Marion Shull

My dear Sir, — I am not certain whether your recent fondness for diseases of the apple leaf is sincere, or if we are being subjected to a peculiar kind of practical joke. In either case, your persuasion appears to be working, as you will see next year. We have had many letters of late inquiring about leaf scale, and illustrations of the same will be useful for the upcoming edition.

As always, we invite you to cast your eye further afield for subjects of study; we would gladly welcome any other fruits you may be inclined to paint for us.

Yours respectfully,

Amanda Almira Newton,  
Chair, Pomological Almanac.

[](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006747.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00000771.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00000772.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006729.jpg)  
---  
  
& & & & & & & & &

June 2nd, 1919  
Mr. James Marion Shull

My dear Sir, — Thank you for the exotics which you have lately sent, it is a great pleasure to see such variety, as well as benefit to the pages of the Almanac. We did also enjoy the story of how you came by the bananas.

I hope you will take no insult, however, when you see that we have only published a fraction of your submissions in next year's edition.

Yours truly,

Amanda Almira Newton,  
Chair, Pomological Almanac.

[](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006563.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00000850.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006883.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00007315.jpg)  
---  
  
& & & & & & & & &

February 15th, 1920  
Mr. James Marion Shull

My dear Mr. Shull, — Well, it is done. I have passed on my duties of Chair! I shall remain a contributor, of course; I think nothing could keep me from my paint-box.

I trust your trip to Florida has been fruitful? It is always so fascinating to hear the stories of your travels, and I must thank you for those notes you customarily included with your paintings. I came to look forward to them, after reading them for so many years. Please do not stop sending them now that I will not be receiving what you send to the Almanac, too.

I confess, although it is no secret, that I was infuriated at times by your refusal to choose more orthodox subject matter. You will see I have enclosed some paintings of my own, which I suppose are another confession. I have never been one for experimental painting, but I suppose you have inspired me to be a little more free with the subjects I choose.

Your sincere friend, 

Almira

[](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00003402.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006573.jpg)  
---  
  
& & & & & & & & &

July 10th, 1928  
Mr. James Marion Shull

Dear Mr. Shull, 

I write in part as a ‘thank you’ for the many years over which you have contributed to the Almanac. Although this is the first time I write to you now in my role as the new Chair, Ms. Newton spoke of you as a friend to the publication and also as a personal friend.

While we are of course grateful for every illustration we receive, I must remind you that we primarily publish those of healthy fruits, and will therefore be unable to include the majority of your submissions.

Sincerely yours,

Royal Charles Steadman  
Chair, Pomological Almanac

[](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00000966.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00000759.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00000796.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00006581.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00007293.jpg) [](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00003761.jpg)  
---  
  
**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed reading! comments are the most welcome.
> 
> \- - - - - - -
> 
> the individual wikimedia archive pages for [james marion shull](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Watercolor_paintings_by_James_Marion_Shull), and [amanda almira newton](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Watercolor_paintings_by_Amanda_Almira_Newton), for comparison.
> 
> \- - - - - - -
> 
> pls do join us in this microfandom, it's such a delightful place to be.
> 
> #NotAFruit


End file.
